Yellow woolly bear caterpillar (likely salt-marsh caterpillar)

Open, sunny habitats including roadsides, lawns, fields, gardens, and coastal areas; larvae often wander across pavement when seeking shelter or pupation sites.

Caterpillars chew many plants, including grasses, weeds, garden crops, and ornamentals. Adults generally feed little, instead focusing on reproduction.

The hairy caterpillars are mostly active at night and may curl or thrash when disturbed. They overwinter as pupae or larvae, then emerge as white moths with orange-and-black markings.

Usually harmless, though their hairs can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive people. They are native plant herbivores and provide food for birds, predatory insects, and other wildlife.